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0. H. 8?; J. I. VEEDER.

VELOQIBEDE.

Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

Inventom IS CurZiSHI Qeden JIrwInVede/t I per CHVeeclenAztomey N. PETCRS, plmoimm mm. wmm m". n. c.

UNITED Tarts CURTIS HUSSEY VEEDER, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, AND JOHN IRWVlN VEEDER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,407, dated February 17, 1885.

Application filed August 1, 1884. (N modei.)

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CURTIs H. Vnnonu, of Bethlehem, in the countyof Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, and J. I. VEEDER, of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tricycles and Similar Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the driving-gear of that class of velocipedcs in which the rider communicates motion to the drivingwheels by means of a shaft distinct and separate from the axis of drivers, said shaft being connected to drivers by intermediate gears or chaingearing.

The object of our invention is to provide means for the alteration of the relative speeds of the driving or pedal shaft and the drivingwheels at the pleasure of the operator. The manner of our attaining this object will be fully understood from the following; description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aview fromleft side of machine, and Fig. 2 is aview from behind of a partial section on line X X of Fig. 1.

J is a portion of left hand side of tubular frame of tricycle.

A, Fig. 2, is an annular gear revolving freely on the pin 0, and provided externally with sprockets S, (or teeth, if gearing is used,) for receiving the chain which communicates motion to driving-wheels, whose axis is at F, through balance-gear or otherwise.

For the sake of clearness the chain is not Shown.

B is a pinion fastened to pedal-shaft'D.

E is an arm carrying annular gear A, capable of limited motion, both endwise and circular, 011 stud G, which motions are controlled by lever L and pin H, Fig. 1, the lever being held in position by catch K and stop 0, and being fastened to arm E by bolt 1, on which it is free to turn. The pin H is firmly fixed in lever L, and passes through a large hole in sleeve 1? to a slot in stud G, which allows it to move circularly but not endwise of stud.

M is a cavity in center of annular gear, into which the pinion fits when they are concentric, the two then acting as a clutch.

The operation is as follows: When the annular gear A and pinion B are eccentric and in gear, as shown in Fig. 1, the number of revolutions of annular gear is less thanthat of pinion on pedal-shaft, and power is gained for hill-climbing, &c. If speed is wanted, the lever L is moved to stop 0, Fig. 1. thus making pinion and gear concentric, andthen along stop 0, away from bracket N of machine, the effect of this latter movement being to move the annular gear A to the left away from frame J of machine, thus engaging the teeth of pinion ]3 with corresponding ones on the interior of cavity M. The gear and pinion being thus locked or clutched together, their revolutions are equal. The sleeve P, Fig. 2, is not bored quite through, and a hole is drilled in end of stud G, in which a spring, R, is inserted, which takes upany slack there may be between the various parts and prevents rattle.

Fig. 3 shows stud and its mode of clamping to frame.

\Vhen gear A and pinion B are concentric and clutched, there is a certain amount of end strain on bearings of pedal-shaft, and pin 0, Fig. 4, shows a device for obviating this. A sleeve, T, takes the place of pin 0, Fig. 2, in-

side'of which the stud WV of annular gear A revolves. The stud is bored to receive plun ger V and spiral spring, the end of stud then being closed by cap U. The pressure of the spring, exerted through the plunger on the end of shaft D, keeps the pinion B firmly seatedin cavity of annular gear without other aid.

The device may be applied to trieycles in which the end of pedal-shaft is supported outside the chain-wheel, by substituting for the pin 0 a large annular ball or similar bearing, through which the pedal-shaft may pass and allow of eccentric motion of annular gear. I

We do not confine ourselves to the precise method described in the foregoing of securing or clutching the gears when concentric, nor of altering their relative positions. The gears may be secured when concentric by a separate clutch, either operated automatically by the movement of one axis to or from the other or by the rider, or in any effectual manner. Vi e select this method as being simple and efficient. In the case shown the chain-wheel forms part of the annular gear, and power is obtained when gears are eecentricandin gear, 2. The combination of the sprocket or gear while speed is had when they are concentric. wheel S with annular gear A and pinionBand \Vhen the pinion forms part of the chainpedal-shaft D, substantially as set forth.

heel andthe annular gearis fastened to pedal- 3. The combination of the annular gear A 30 5 shaft-,the conditionsarereversed-powerwhen and pinion B with the shifting mechanism concentric, speed when eccentric. consisting of the arm E, stud G, lever L, pin

A few ofthe advantages of our invention I, and catch K, substantially as and for the are: Fewness and simplicity of parts,. there purpose set forth.

being but two gears; ease and positiveness of 4. The combination of movable arm E, stud 35 IQ change from power to speed, and vice versa; G, and spiral spring R, as set forth.

absence of friction, there beingnomorein one 5. A shifting device consisting of arm E,

position than in the ordinary single speed destud G, lever L, pin H, and bolt I.

vice, while in the other there is only that of 6. The combination of spring and plunger one set of teeth against another, and pivot- V, Fig. 4, with annular gear A, and pinion B 0 I5 friction is almost nil, the power being conon shaft D, substantially as and for the purveyed directly to chain; and great durability, pose set forth.

as a large number of teeth are engaged simultaneously, thus distributing pressure over a CURTIS HUSSEY VEEDER. large surface. JOHN IRSVIN VEEDER. 2o \Ve claim as new and of our inventionl. The combination of annular gear A and \Vitnesses: pinion B with suitable means for changing ERNEST HA IER, their relative positions. so that they may re J. DAVIS BRODHEAD. volve either concentrically together or eccen- GEO. A. BROOKS, 25 trically in gear, substantially as and for the A. J. MAOKAY.

purpose set forth. 

